In the last week we have seen the announcement of some exciting mergers and other interesting corporate growth news from across the National Capital region. Below are highlights of the latest regional business news and trends, with a particular focus on mergers and acquisitions in the DC area.
This week we look at Cyber security firm Raytheon Websense’s new acquisitions, Foursquare raising $45 million in a new round of venture funding, the Halliburton-Baker Hughes merger, and how D.C. is predicted to become, ”One of the great entrepreneurial cities,” by Steve Case.
Here is what happened this week:
Chantilly firm buys $5M Colorado-based environmental services contractor Chantilly-based TechLaw Holdings Inc. is expanding its environmental services work with its acquisition of Arvada, Colorado-based Summit Technical Resources Inc.
Steve Case: Here’s how D.C. will become ‘one of the great entrepreneurial cities. Steve Case, the co-founder of AOL and tech investment fund Revolution Growth, predicts that the Greater Washington is well positioned to become one of America’s great entrepreneurial cities.
Marriott’s strong industry position held off competitors in Starwood deal Marriott International Inc.’s strong brand reputation and financial position helped the Bethesda-based hotelier ward off competitors in its bid to acquire Starwood Hotels & Resorts, a $12.2 billion deal the companies hope to finalize by the middle of 2016. New documents on the merger submitted Tuesday to the Securities and Exchange Commission reveal that nearly a dozen U.S. and foreign companies were in some way involved in the discussions to merge with or acquire Stamford.
Cybersecurity firm Raytheon Websense has acquired Intel Security’s firewall business, with the three companies to be known collectively as Forcepoint Texas-based cybersecurity firm Raytheon Websense has acquired firewall business Stonesoft from Intel Security with the companies to now be known as Forcepoint.
Halliburton-Baker Hughes merger probed by EU regulators Halliburton Co. faces a fresh hurdle toward its $35 billion acquisition of rival Baker Hughes Inc. after European Union regulators opened a full-blown antitrust investigation into the deal, warning it raised “serious potential competition concerns.”The merger, which would unite the second and third largest oil-field services firms, already faces a growing list of antitrust concerns in the U.S., while the slump in oil prices complicates the firms’ efforts to find buyers of any assets. The European Commission, the EU’s top antitrust authority, said Tuesday it would open an in-depth probe into the merger after its initial inquiry showed the firms were close competitors.
Foursquare Raises $45 Million, Cutting Its Valuation Nearly in Half
On Thursday, Foursquare said it had raised $45 million in a new round of venture funding, as it tries to bolster its location data-based advertising and developer businesses. The financing pegs Foursquare’s valuation at roughly half of the approximately $650 million that it was valued at in its last round in 2013, according to three people with knowledge of the deal’s terms, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.